Monday, 25 March 2013

Maps - 2

Working on catching up with the Map Journal Quilts. size 8"x12" landscape view. These maps have been more difficult than I realised. Part of the reason being that each place I researched brought back such strong memories. So, some I am still processing. A benefit of living in a completely different country for nearly more years than you lived in the country of birth. You can put all that back story stuff out of mind. Makes life a lot easier.

Anyway, this map is of a place in Brazil that I visited the summer I turned 13. (! Brave Parents) I mainly stayed in Belem, but we also travelled by bus south to Vianapolis. That was a journey to remember!

While we were there I also went and saw a primitive method of making brown sugar from cane. It was very good. They used oxen to turn the press. The juice that was collected was boiled down. Then at a certain stage, they put the sugar into hollow logs and buried them in the earth! I seem to remember it was to give it flavour. Well I guess it would!

Another thing I remember was helping the neighbours to pick seeds out of the fluff of some plant which they used to fill cushions like you would cotton. But I don't think it was cotton, may have been.

I liked the organised planning of this town, so decided to use it for the second map.

However, I am tempted to use it with North at the bottom. It looks a bit like a bird to me!

I am still deciding just where to take it from here, but at least the bare bones are onto fabric now.

3 comments:

you wonder where to go from here. Would inserting or layering a photo or photos from that era or words or ideas or your hopes or aspirations (if you can remember) or what ever, make them something for the next generation of your family to treasure. So easy to suggest things not so easy to get the essence of what one wants onto a fabric piece.Irene

Hi Irene,that is an interesting thought. I could print something onto organza and overlay the map. My dad insisted I take slide photos so I could show groups. So I had slide film for my camera, but now I don't have ready access to the photos.This is the sort of thing that is making these maps take time. I am still researching (for the 1st one) where all the cedar of lebanon trees used to be in my neighbourhood when it used to be a country estate!Sandy

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About Me

Textile Artist,
Fashion Designer,
Encourager...
Basically someone who really loves to sew!
-----You will find a bit of textile art, a bit of dressmaking, a bit of what inspires me, and a bit of my attempts to inspire others!